Wichita eagle., 1887-11-30
THE MARKET FOR FREAKS.

a Collection OF Living Curios in the
! Metropolis>Is It Pr9ftable9
The Bowefy Is great ievsler.
:, The Chinese giant Il Of no more Importance
fhan tho woman who has not spoken g word
xince the day she was weaned. To be sure,
the latter is good deal Of a rarity, but until
The bediamoned and oleaginous dime museum
dealer appears and the frsak Signs bis or her
contract for the nexs season, all are on an
equality.
The managers Cock here In droves during
iJuly. They como from Oshkosh, New Jer
sey. Buffalo, Boston and other places where
culture site on d pedestal They are On tho
alert for novelties They want TO get them
cheap. The important freaks are engaged
first A few staple freaks are engaged for
the season, and lazy boys. fat women, giants,
Brooklyn bridge Jumpers, the men without
tongue and other stars are signed to appear
1t intervals.
How arc theyi Is 1t profitable to be
Ireaki ~
Fat men and women are paid according to
their weight The average pay is about $50
per week. Very heavy men or women get as
high as ESQ. Beginners receive from $40 to
SIS, and are advanced as they become heav-
Tor. Circassian girls are not profitable 1t
doesn't really pay 70 be q Circassian girl now.
The market is Tat at so 10 SOS per week.
Tattooed men como little higher. They can
Be obtained Tor sI5 per week, bus the genuine
article readily brings $40 per week.
at don't pay TO do tattoo now" said one of
shess gentry. "a mans got to be way up in
che act OF heu be crowded out. I think I'll
try the india rubber act or tho pie eatin'
racket. I can get 600 a week for eatin'
twenty pies . day. It's great. pard."
India rubber men come high. They are
hot numefeua They are always good draw
ing cards It ISN'T every one who can be a
rubber man. 1t Is hard work, and is q great
strain on the beginner. Still. it is profitable.
Experts receive 500 per week. Hairy boys
from Burmah are also in demand. They re.
,ceive 500 per week. Men who can eat
glass are NOS rare nowadays. and it
really doesn't pay to 60 into the busidees.
First class glass eaters get only $40 per week.
It's q great strain on a man to eat glass.
Sword swallowing is more profitable. A
woman who can eat sword after sword until
She Is gorssd gets 90 per week and is in
great contrast to Chicago girls with big feet
Years age such women were rare, but the
bull market ia the staple has been fattened
out and they can h had now for sl2 weekly
The supply Of bridge Jumpers exceeds the de-
Imand and can be had at 81 day. Fro
eaters are paid so weekly. Snake charmsrs
get Is high as eco. Tho man with the iron
Jaw il very numatoua BE is quoted at $40
to 4ls weekly.
i II may seem strange that dime museums
can pay the salaries quoted above, but when
It Is considered that they are open from
morning until night the wonder is not 90
greet Nose museums have a side snow at
tachment in the form Of a prestidigitateur or
Punch and Judy. The salaries paid magi-
clans vary according to their reputation and
ability. Hve dollars per day to give dozen
or more performances is considered a good
price for museum exhibitions. Three dollars
per day for Punch and Judy show exhibi-
sion Is about the average salsry.-Foster
Coates In Globe Democrat ..;, -